It is known that organic and polymeric materials with large delocalized .pi.-electron systems can exhibit nonlinear optical response, which in many cases is a much larger response than by inorganic substrates.
In addition, the properties of organic and polymeric materials can be varied to optimize other desirable properties, such as mechanical and thermoxidative stability and high laser damage threshold, with preservation of the electronic interactions responsible for nonlinear optical effects.
Thin films of organic or polymeric materials with large second-order nonlinearities in combination with silicon-based electronic circuitry have potential as systems for laser modulation and deflection, information control in optical circuitry, and the like.
Other novel processes occurring through third-order nonlinearity such as degenerate four-wave mixing, whereby real-time processing of optical fields occurs, have potential utility in such diverse fields as optical communications and integrated circuit fabrication.
Nonlinear optical properties of organic and polymeric materials was the subject of a symposium sponsored by the ACS division of Polymer Chemistry at the 18th meeting of the American Chemical Society, Sept. 1982. Papers presented at the meeting are published in ACS Symposium Series 233, American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C. 1983.
The above-recited publications are incorporated herein by reference.
Of related interest with respect to the present invention are publications which describe the production of inorganic-organic composites such as J. Phys. Chem., 88, 5956 (1984) and J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 74, 395 (1985) by D. Avnir et al, and Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc., 73, 809 (1986) by Pope et al; incorporated herein by reference.
There is a continuing research effort to develop new nonlinear optical systems for prospective novel phenomena and devices adapted for laser frequency conversion, information control in optical circuitry, light valves and optical switches. The potential utility of organic materials with large second-order and third-order nonlinearities for very high frequency application contrasts with the bandwidth limitations of conventional inorganic electrooptic materials.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide novel nonlinear optical media.
It is another object of this invention to provide a transparent optical medium which is a composite of a microporous inorganic oxide glass and an incorporated solution containing an organic component which exhibits nonlinear optical response.
It is a further object of this invention to provide optical devices which contain a novel nonlinear optical element.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention shall become apparent from the accompanying description and examples.